Frame hangers

ABSTRACT

A frame hanger for a picture frame, mirror frame or the like includes hinge members secured to the frame in horizontally spaced relationship to provide a horizontal pivot axis. A linear support member extends in a horizontal direction generally parallel to the pivot axis and is pivotally mounted to the hinge members through laterally offset transition sections disposed at opposite ends of the support member, whereby the pivot axis is parallel to, and laterally spaced from the support member. Preferably, the support member is linearly adjustable for permitting use of the frame hanger with frames of different horizontal dimensions. Preferably, the support member is supported by at least two horizontally spaced hanger mounts which are secured to a wall or other supporting structure.

[ 1 FRAME HANGERS [76] Inventor: Edmund J. Stecker, 2842 Mehdon B|vd.,Beachwood, Ohio 44122 [22] Filed: Aug. 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 277,749

[52] US. Cl. 248/489, 248/360 [51] Int. Cl.. .f. A47g 1/16 [58] Field ofSearch 248/489, 490, 491, 995,- 248/496, 497, 498, 201, 470, 360;211/100, 104, 87, 88

[56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 270,130 1/1883 Roe der248/470 717,859 l/1903 Jackson et a1. 248/495 2,632,971 3/1953 Manczeket al. 248/491 X 2,492,607 12/1949 Whitney 211/100 X 153,789 8/1874Simpson 248/489 341,964 5/1886 Taylorm, 248/497 1,485,281 2/1924 McGowan248/489 [111, 3,804,360 [451 Apr. 16, 1974 Primary Examiner-Roy D.Frazier Assistant Examiner-Thomas Holko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-MartinL. Faigus [57] ABSTRACT A frame hanger for a picture frame, mirror frameor the like includes hinge members secured to the frame in horizontallyspaced relationship to provide a horizontal pivot axis. A linear supportmember extends in a horizontal direction generally parallel to the pivotaxis and is pivotally mounted to the hinge members through laterallyoffset transition sections disposed at opposite ends of the supportmember, whereby the pivot axis is parallel to, and laterally spaced fromthe support member. Preferably, the support member is linearlyadjustable for permitting use of the frame hanger with frames ofdifferent horizontal dimensions. Preferably, the support member issupported by at least two horizontally spaced hanger mounts which aresecured to a wall or other supporting structure.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to frame hangers, and more specificallyto pivotally mounted frame hangers for picture frames, mirror frames andthe like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Continuous wire has been utilized as aframe hanger for years. Generally the wire is purchased in roll form,and the required length is severed from the roll, draped horizontallyacross the back of the frame and secured to side frame members of theframe.

The above described wire frame hanger has several disadvantages. First,one usually is required to purchase more wire than is needed, since thewire is packaged in rolls of limited length ranges. Sometimes the excesswire (i.e., in roll form) is misplaced before reuse of the wire isrequired. Therefore, one must repurchase an additional roll of wire fora subsequent use. This is uneconomical. Moreover, the mere fact that oneis required to purchase excess wire which may not be used for years, ifever, is economically wasteful.

A second disadvantage of the above-described wire frame hanger residesin the manner in which the wire is draped across the back of the frame.Normally the wire is in extremely close proximity to the back of theframe. This necessitates moving the frame while it is in contact with asurface of a frame supporting structure, such as a wall, to properlyseat the hanger on hanger mounts which are secured to the supportingstructure. This means of placing the frame on a supporting structureoften mars a surface of the supporting structure in regions which areexposed to view.

A third disadvantage of the above-described wire frame hanger resides inthe fact that the wire is flexible. Normally such wires are so flexiblethat even when they are mounted on two horizontally spaced hangermounts, a slight bumping of the frame, such as may occur when dustingthe frame, can tilt the frame out of proper horizontal alignment.

Some prior art frame hangers, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 133,789and l,485,28l employ shaped support members defining an apex which isadapted to be engaged by a single hanger mount. If the center of gravityof the frame is not in vertical alignment with the apex of the supportmember, a torque may be imposed on the frame when it is mounted on asupporting structure to thereby cause the frame to tilt out of properhorizontal alignment when the frame is jarred by the slightest of force.Moreover, the frame hangers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,485,281primarily are adapted for use with frames having a rearwardly protrudingcleat. If the frame does not have such a cleat, the frame hangers wouldhave to be secured to the outer side walls of the frame where they wouldbe exposed to view to provide an aesthetically unpleasing construction.

Substantially rigid frame hangers which include a linearly extendingsupport member are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,641,427 and 3,298,655.These frame hangers are not pivotally mounted, and therefore, thesupport members are always maintained in close proximity to the back ofthe frame to assure stable mounting of the frame to a supportingstructure, such as a wall. Frames employing the use of these framehangers are mounted on a supporting structure in the same manner asdescribed with respect to the continuous wire holders. This method ofmounting, asdescribed above, often mars a surface of the supportingstructure in re gions which are exposed to view. Moreover, these linearly extending frame hangers are not adjustable, and thereforedifferent size hapgers must be manufactured for use with frames whichdiffer greatly from each other in their horizontal dimensions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A frame hanger for a picture frame, mirrorframe or the like includes hinge members secured to a frame inhorizontally spaced relationship to provide a horizontal pivot axis. Alinear support member extends in a horizontal direction generallyparallel to the pivot axis and is pivotally mounted to the hinge membersthrough laterally offset transition sections disposed at opposite endsof the support members, whereby the pivot axis is parallel to, andlaterally spaced from the support member. Preferably the support memberis sufficiently rigid to maintain its substantially linear configurationwhen mounted on a supporting structure, such as a wall, to support theweight of a frame.

The linear support member is pivotally mounted so that it can bedisposed in rearwardly spaced relationship with respect to the back ofthe frame when the frame is to be mounted, or set on hanger mountssecured to a supporting structure. In this manner the frame ismaintained out of contact with the supporting structure during theinitial phase of the mounting operation to prevent marring of a surfaceof the supporting structure. Afterthe linearly extending support memberis engaged with the hanger mounts a downward force is applied to theframe to thereby cause the linear support member to pivot to a positionin close proximity to the back of the frame, whereby the frame isdisposed closely adjacent the supporting structure to establish a stablemounting for the frame.

Preferably at least two horizontally spaced frame hanger mounts aresecured to the supporting structure to engage the linear support memberat horizontally spaced locations. In this manner a jarring of the frameresulting from dusting the frame or inadvertently bumping the frame willnot cause the frame to cant out of proper horizontal alignment withrespect to the sup porting structure.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the linear support memberis adjustable in a linear direction to thereby permit use of the sameframe hanger with frames of widely different horizontal dimensions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent byreferring to the detailed description which follows, taken inconjunction with the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an isometric view of a framehanger according to a first embodiment of this invention secured to aframe, and showing the hanger in two different pivotal positions;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of a frame hanger according tothis invention; having a different pivotal construction than in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of a frame hanger according tothis invention having a different pivotal construction than in FIGS. 1and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary isometric view of a preferred construction of alinear support member of a frame hanger according to this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THIS INVENTION Referring toFIG. 1, a frame hanger I is pivotally secured to side frame members 12and 14 of a frame 16. The frame 16 can be of any type, and preferably isa picture frame, mirror frame or the like.

The frame hanger includes hinge members 18 and 20 secured to the sideframe members 12 and 14in horizontally spaced relationship. Each hingemember has a marginal end defining an opening 22 therein, and theopenings 22 are in horizontal alignment to define a horizontal pivotaxis. The hinge members 18 and 20 are secured to the side frame membersby any suitable fastening means, such as screws 24.

The frame hanger 10 includes a linear support member 26 disposed in asubstantially horizontal direction generally parallel to the pivot axisdefined by openings 22 in the hinge members 18 and 20. The linearsupport member 26 can be made from metal, plastic, wood or the like, andpreferably is sufficiently rigid to maintain its linear configurationwhen supporting a'frame on hanger mounts 28 and 30. The hanger mounts 28and 30 are secured to a supporting structure (not shown), such as awall, post, door, or the like.

The frame hanger 10 further includes a pair of transition sections 32,each of which has opposed marginal ends defining openings 34 and 36,respectively, therethrough. Opposite ends of the linear support member26 are disposed within openings 34 of the transition sections, and apivot pin, or rod 35 is disposed within opening 22 of each hinge member18 and 20, and through opening 36 in each of the transition sections 32.As a result of this construction the linear support member 26 isparallel to and laterally spaced from the pivot axis. Preferably. thefrictional force between the pivot pins 35 and the hinge members 18 and20 is sufficient to permit the support member and transition sections tomaintain any preset pivotal position relative to the frame under theinfluence of gravitational force.

To mount the frame 16 to the hanger mounts 28 and 30, the linear supportmember 26 is pivoted to a position spaced rearwardly from the back ofthe frame. Preferably the linear support member 26 is pivoted to aposition wherein the transition sections 32 and the linear supportmember lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of theframe, whereby the support member isspaced its farthest distancerearwardly from the back of the frame 16. With the linear support member26 disposed as indicated above, it is set, or mounted on the hangermounts 28 and 30 without contacting the frame 16 in rubbing engagementwith a supporting structure (not shown), such as a wall. A downwardforcefas indicated at A. then is applied to the frame 16 to cause thelinear support member 26 and the transition sections 32 to pivot to theposition shown in phantom in FIG. I. In this latter position the linearsupport member 26 is in close proximity to the back of frame 16, and theframe is supported in a stable condition closely adjacent the supportingstructure.

Referring to FIG. 2, a modified construction of a hinge member 180 andtransition section 320 is shown. The other hinge member is identical to18a, and cooperates with a transition section in exactly the same manneras will now be described with respect to FIG. 2. The hinge member 18aincludes a marginal end defined by horizontally spaced fingers 38. Eachfinger 38 has an opening therethrough which is in horizontal alignmentwith the opening through every other finger. The transition section 32aincludes horizontally spaced fingers 40 which mesh with the fingers 38.The fingers 40 have openingstherein which are in horizontal alignmentwith the openings through fingers 38, and a pivot pin, or rod 35a isdisposed through both sets of openings to provide a pivot axis. The modeof operation of this embodiment is indentical to that described above inconnection with FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, a further embodiment of this invention is shown. Inthis embodiment a linear support member 26b, transition sections 32b(only one shown) and pivot pins or rods 35b (only one shown) are formedas a unitary construction. The mode of operation of this embodiment isidentical to that described above in connection with FIG. 1. 7

Referring to FIG. 4, a preferred construction of a linear support member26c is shown. The support member is comprised of separate sections 42and 44 in telescopic relationship with each other. In this constructionthe linear extent of the support member 260 can be adjusted to beutilized with many different size frames. The linearly adjustablesupport member 26c can be adapted for use with any of the transitionsections and hinge member constructions shown in FIGS. 1 through 2.

Having described the preferred embodiments of the invention, I claim:

1. A frame hanger and frame assembly comprising:

A. a pair of hinge members secured to rear surfaces of a frame inhorizontally spaced relationship and intermediate upper and lowermargins of said frame to provide a horizontal pivot axis, said hingemembers being unexposed to view from the front of said frame;

B. a linear support member including at least two sections movablerelative to each other for permitting the linear length of the supportmember to be varied;

C. a transition section joined at each end of the linear support memberand extending in laterally offset relationship to said support memberand terminating at a marginal end; and

D. pivot means pivotally interconnecting each hinge member with arespective transition section adjacent the marginal end of eachtransition section whereby the horizontal pivot axis is substantiallyparallel to said support member and is laterally spaced from saidsupport member, said pivot means being frictionally interconnected withsaid hinge members for permitting the transition sections and supportmember to maintain anypreset pivotal position under the influence ofgravitational force, the lateral distance between said support memberand the pivot axis being less than the distance from the horizontalpivot axis to the upper and lower margins of the frame, whereby saidtransition sections and support member are unexposed to view from thefront of the frame in all pivotal positions of said transition sectionsand support member.

2. The frame hanger frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein saidlinear support member includes 3,804,360 6 at least two sections intelescopic relationship with spaced frame sections, said hinge membersbeing seeach other to permit the linear length of said support member tobe varied.

3. The frame hanger and frame assembly according to claim 1, said framehaving a pair of horizontally 5 cured to a rear surface of saidhorizontally spaced frame sections.

1. A frame hanger and frame assembly comprising: A. a pair of hingemembers secured to rear surfaces of a frame in horizontally spacedrelationship and intermediate upper and lower margins of said frame toprovide a horizontal pivot axis, said hinge members being unexposed toview from the front of said frame; B. a linear support member includingat least two sections movable relative to each other for permitting thelinear length of the support member to be varied; C. a transitionsection joined at each end of the linear support member and extending inlaterally offset relationship to said support member and terminating ata marginal end; and D. pivot means pivotally interconnecting each hingemember with a respective transition section adjacent the marginal end ofeach transition section whereby the horizontal pivot axis issubstantially parallel to said support member and is laterally spacedfrom said support member, said pivot means being frictionallyinterconnected with said hinge members for permitting the transitionsections and support member to maintain any preset pivotal positionunder the influence of gravitational force, the lateral distance betweensaid support member and the pivot axis being less than the distance fromthe horizontal pivot axis to the upper and lower margins of the frame,whereby said transition sections and support member are unexposed toview from the front of the frame in all pivotal positions of saidtransition sections and support member.
 2. The frame hanger frameassembly according to claim 1, wherein said linear support memberincludes at least two sections in telescopic relationship with eachother to permit the linear length of said support member to be varied.3. The frame hanger and frame assembly according to claim 1, said framehaving a pair of horizontally spaced frame sections, said hinge membersbeing secured to a rear surface of said horizontally spaced framesections.